[Mick]

I'm not sure, but I think my kids all checked the "decline to identify" box on their college applications, just on general principles

I still feel guilty for checking the box as an underrepresented minority when I knew full well that it would give me an advantage as far as getting into Stanford.


But I reasoned that if Stanford wants this sort of information to put together a diverse class, it's really not wrong to check the box. In a way, I would be helping the university reach a goal of racial/ethnic diversity that is, basically, I believe, a good goal.


There's "white guilt," I suppose, and there's very definitely "affirmative action guilt." EDIT: My "guilt" is a kinda-sorta-but-not-really kind, fyi, and I would encourage anyone who fits into the category of underrepresented minority to check that box when applying to Stanford (or any college).

Decades after I checked the "white" ethnicity box on my application to Stanford (didn't get in, accepted to SCU's honors program, only two places I applied), my uncles let me know that my maternal grandfather's family was originally from Africa, then emigrated to France (Lyon) then to Mexico (Guadalajara) then to San Francisco (Marina District) over a period of about 30 years.  Perhaps I should reapply...

[Mick]

I'm not sure, but I think my kids all checked the "decline to identify" box on their college applications, just on general principles

I still feel guilty for checking the box as an underrepresented minority when I knew full well that it would give me an advantage as far as getting into Stanford.


But I reasoned that if Stanford wants this sort of information to put together a diverse class, it's really not wrong to check the box. In a way, I would be helping the university reach a goal of racial/ethnic diversity that is, basically, I believe, a good goal.


There's "white guilt," I suppose, and there's very definitely "affirmative action guilt." EDIT: My "guilt" is a kinda-sorta-but-not-really kind, fyi, and I would encourage anyone who fits into the category of underrepresented minority to check that box when applying to Stanford (or any college).

Decades after I checked the "white" ethnicity box on my application to Stanford (didn't get in, accepted to SCU's honors program, only two places I applied), my uncles let me know that my maternal grandfather's family was originally from Africa, then emigrated to France (Lyon) then to Mexico (Guadalajara) then to San Francisco (Marina District) over a period of about 30 years.  Perhaps I should reapply...